Fire Rescue News- Macy's Department Store evacuated after reports of smoke

MAYS LANDING -- Dozens of people were evacuated from the Hamilton Mall on Saturday afternoon, when smoke was reported coming out of the Macy's Department Store.

Quelling the smoke in the intense heat was a difficult task for both fire officials, and those who were forced to the streets.

Police and firefighters were forced to evacuate everyone from....Continue Reading

inside the Hamilton Mall after Macy's employees discovered smoke coming from the storage room.

"I didn't know what was going on, if it was a bomb scare, or if someone pulled an alarm, because there was a lot of people just outside the mall,” said customer, Chaiz Hill.

Officials arrived on scene at 1:30 P.M., this is when they immediately began their search in the department store.

"The call was sent as an activated fire alarm, at Macy’s. We arrived on location, and the store employees met me outside, and said they had smoke in the shoe department area,” said Captain of the Cologne Fire Department, Paul Gram.

Fire fighters believe the smoke developed from an electrical problem, stemming from an improperly working motor, but could not be confirmed.

Jeanne Belock, a manager for the Hamilton Mall assures customers that this is something that happened at Macy's, and not at the mall.

"We didn't know what was going on until we talked to a Macy's employee that said there was some type of discrepancy and everybody had to leave the mall,” said Hill.

Within the hour fire fighters confirmed it was safe for customers, and employees to return inside. Many waited during the evacuation, hoping to get relief inside the air conditioned building, from the almost one hundred degree weather.

"Its dangerous out here in this heat,” said customer, Rick Hammell.

While battling both the smoke and extreme heat, fire fighters were rotated in and out of the building, where they were provided with water, at an emergency cooling station.

"In lieu of the heat and everything we have out fire fighters over there with EMS from Hamilton Township trying to stay cool,” said Gram.

Many were exhausted from the heat, however no injuries were reported from the evacuation.

NBC40 reached out to Macy's for comment, however they are unable to at this time.